The management of DevReporting, a cinematic media platform committed to rigorous, data-driven reporting on development issues across Nigeria and Africa, on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to flag off awareness for its forthcoming 3-in-1 event scheduled for Thursday, 29 October.
In a statement issued by DevReporting, the delegation, led by its Managing Editor, Christiana Alabi-Akande, briefed the university management that the event will feature three key activities, including: the screening of ‘LG Billions in the Dark’, an investigative documentary; the unveiling of the Development Reporting Africa Foundation (DRAF), the non-profit arm of DevReporting; and a fundraiser to support the foundation’s work.
Mrs Alabi-Akande said the engagement was to formally introduce the event and appreciate the university management for supporting the initiative and approving UNILAG as its venue.
“We are deeply grateful for the university’s support and partnership, aimed at enhancing gown and town collaborations,” she noted.
She further explained that the documentary examines the crisis of local governance in Osun State, South-West Nigeria, using it as a lens to mirror wider challenges affecting local governments across Nigeria, including issues of accountability, management of public funds, and service delivery, among others.
“Our intention is not only to tell the story of Osun State, but also to stimulate a broader national conversation about the state of local governance and the need for citizens and institutions to demand accountability,” she said.
The project is being implemented in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) through its Local Media Sustainability Fund (LMSF), with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
Why local governance matters
Corroborating the Managing Editor’s remarks, DevReporting’s Associate Editor, Samson Ademola, appreciated the partnership with the University of Lagos, saying the institution was chosen to launch awareness for the 3-in-1 event because of its academic standing and potential to engage students in conversations about local governance.
Mr Ademola said: “We considered it important to begin the awareness campaign for our event from the University of Lagos, to create awareness and reiterate some of the points we have highlighted earlier.
“The programme focuses on local governance, and we believe that partnering with a reputable institution like the University of Lagos is important. Empirical evidence suggests that local governments do not receive as much attention as the federal and state governments. It is therefore necessary to direct greater attention to this level of governance, particularly because it is something students need to understand.”
He said a lot happens at the local government level, which he noted is the closest tier of government to the people. “Yet, despite its proximity to citizens, many people remain unaware of what happens within their local governments, leaving several activities without adequate scrutiny, transparency, or accountability.”
“We also believe that bringing students together, as we have requested, will allow them to understand what is happening at the local government level, contribute to the conversation, and acquire knowledge they can share with others,” he added.
UNILAG VC commends DevReporting’s development-focused journalism
Responding on behalf of the university management, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Folasade Ogunsola, a professor of medical microbiology, congratulated the DevReporting team on the planned event and commended its journalistic approach of spotlighting development milestones alongside issues that require urgent attention.
Mrs Ogunsola said the initiative offered a constructive approach to reporting Nigeria’s realities, one that acknowledges the country’s challenges while also highlighting its efforts toward growth and development.
“I thought that was a really good idea because bad news sells. As a country, we need to change the narrative. We need to talk about a country that is striving to survive and develop, so that the perspective is more positive while we still address the challenges,” she said.
She added that the university looked forward to collaborating with DRAF and attending the documentary screening. “This is the type of journalism we need as an institution to work with. We are looking forward to DRAF and to the documentary,” she said.
The vice-chancellor was joined by all the members of the university management, including the three deputy vice-chancellors in charge of management services, development services, and academics and research- Muyiwa Falaiye, Afolabi Lesi, and Mathew Ilori, all professors, respectively.
The university’s Registrar, Victoria Wickliffe; Bursar, Oluwafunmilola Adekunle; and Librarian, Olatokunbo Okiki, a professor, were also in attendance. Others are the director of Quality Assurance, Olufemi Saibu, and his counterparts in Works and Academic Planning, Olaniyi Ayeye, and Olufunlayo Bammeke, a professor, respectively.
